Thinking about going on a cruise? Good choice! Cruises are a great way to see a little bit more of the world from a slightly different angle than what you might be used to, giving you a very different type of vacation.
But how do you make the most of your time during your cruise vacation? After all, if you’re going on the holiday of a lifetime, you want to make sure that it’s the best and most memorable holiday it can possibly be. That’s where this post comes in. Today, we’re going to share everything you need to know to make the most of your cruise vacation. Let’s jump on in…
1. Look into the different types of cruises
These days, there are so many cruise operators out there that you can find all different types of cruises to suit every type of traveller. From food cruises and nature cruises, to those designed specifically for the elderly or for honeymooners, there truly is an amazing amount of variety out there.
2. Choose your destination wisely
A big part of booking a cruise vacation is deciding where to go. Sure, the best part of the cruise is the cruise itself and so the destination can often come second, but you should think about where to go. One of our favorite routes is to go cruising to Tampa Bay – and potentially to then move on even further from there.
3. Couple cruising with Airbnb
If you do have a final destination, or even if you just have a layover somewhere and you want to spend a night sleeping on land, it can be a good idea to look into Airbnb. It’s not always easy to choose the best Airbnb, and there’s an art and a science to getting it just right. It’s definitely worth spending some time familiarising yourself with what’s out there before you take the plunge and book a stay somewhere.
4. Book excursions
Sure, you could arrange excursions on your own and perhaps save a little cash by doing so, but then you miss out in other ways. For example, when you book an excursion through the cruise provider, your return to the ship is guaranteed. If the vehicle breaks down and you’re late to get back, the ship will wait for you. If you go on a private excursion and you’re late to get back, they’ll set sail without you.
5. Pack essential medication
Most cruise ships provide a certain amount of medication through their onboard pharmacy, but you can bet that it’ll come at a hefty markup. That’s why it’s a good idea to take a travel bag with essential medication, ranging from antihistamines and painkillers to any daily meds that you have to take for long-term health conditions.
6. Book in advance
By booking things in advance, you can take advantage of early bird pricing and keep costs as low as possible. You should spend some time looking into the different providers and wrapping your head around their pricing structures. Remember that if you save money by booking in advance, you can often either upgrade your package or take a little extra spending money with you instead.
7. Make some friends
Cruises are a lot more fun if you make some friends while you’re there. Sure, making friends is easier said than done, but we tend to find that cruises are usually fairly relaxed and the other guests are in the same boat as you, pun intended. If you’re able to strike up a few conversations and to get to know other people, you can hang out with them on excursions and at the bars and restaurants in the evening.
8. Take a good camera
You’re going to get plenty of chances to take awesome photos during your travels, so make sure that you take a camera with you so that you can capture all of the cool stuff that you see. If you don’t have a good camera, try to borrow one – or at the very least, make sure that you have plenty of space on your smartphone as well as a portable charger for if you run out of battery.
Now that you know just a few of the tips that we’d recommend if you’re trying to make the most of a cruise vacation, it’s over to you so that you can put what you’ve learned today into practice. Remember that there’s no such thing as over-planning when it comes to going on a cruise vacation, and indeed by putting the hours in, you can make sure that you have the best vacation possible.
So now it’s time for you to go off on that vacation of a lifetime. We hope you have the perfect cruise vacation – happy travels!
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